The present invention relates to the vacuum cleaner arts, and more particularly to a chamber that houses a powered agitator roll or brushroll for a vacuum cleaner, and will be described with particular reference thereto.
It is known to use a powered (e.g. belt driven) agitator roll or brushroll in a vacuum cleaner nozzle base. Most agitator rolls or brushrolls are formed from a cylindrical dowel having one or more rows of bristles that, in conjunction with a beater bar structure associated with the vacuum cleaner nozzle base, aid in the pickup of dirt from the surface being cleaned. Such powered brushrolls are mounted for rotation in brushroll chambers associated with different types of vacuum cleaners such as upright vacuum cleaners, hand-held vacuum cleaners, canister-type vacuum cleaners having powered floor nozzles, etc.
With reference to FIGS. 1 and 2, a conventional floor nozzle A of an upright-type vacuum cleaner includes a nozzle base section 10. A cylindrical wall 12 extends laterally along the front of the nozzle base section 10 and defines a downwardly opening brushroll chamber or cavity 14 having a constant, arcuate, cross-section along the width W of the nozzle base section. The brushroll chamber 14 is adapted to receive and rotatably support an agitator or brushroll (not shown) in a known manner. A lower cover plate (not shown) cooperates with the brushroll chamber to define a floor nozzle inlet 15.
A slot 16 and a rearwardly extending duct 18 each communicate with and extend rearwardly from opposing ends of the brushroll chamber 14. A power transmission device, such as a continuous drive belt (not shown), is positioned within the slot 16 and transfers rotational power from an output shaft of a drive motor (not shown) to the brushroll (not shown) in a conventional manner. The duct 18 provides a pathway for suction air that is drawn by a source of suction power (e.g. a fan/motor assembly) through the brushroll chamber 14 from the nozzle inlet 15.
A disadvantage associated with the brushroll chamber 14 is that suction air is not drawn evenly into the brushroll chamber along the width of the nozzle inlet 15. That is, the velocity of suction air drawn from the nozzle inlet at locations remote from the suction duct 18 (such as near the slot 16) can be less than the velocity of suction air drawn from the locations that are proximate the suction duct 18, thus reducing the performance of the vacuum cleaner floor nozzle along the edges thereof.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,513,418 discloses a brushroll chamber having an inner, cylindrical brushroll cavity and two laterally extending suction ducts positioned, respectively, forward and rearward of the inner brushroll cavity, which suction ducts taper downward in directions laterally away from a discharge duct. It is desirable to provide upright vacuum cleaners with a profile that is compact, streamlined, and easy to maneuver. However, a vacuum cleaner nozzle base that incorporates such a brushroll chamber with an inner brushroll cavity and forward and rearward suction ducts that are separate from the brushroll cavity, tends to be bulky and less maneuverable due the size and weight of the brushroll chamber. It also requires a complex nozzle body with many walls, thereby adding to the cost of manufacture of the product.
Accordingly, it has been deemed desirable to develop a new and improved brushroll chamber for vacuum cleaner devices that overcomes the foregoing difficulties and others while providing better and more advantageous overall results.